War affects aviation fuel supply and airlines pressure EU to intervene

European airlines are pressing the European Union (EU) to intervene with emergency measures to deal with the repercussions of the war in the Middle East, including widespread airspace closures and growing concerns about jet fuel shortages, according to a document cited by Reuters.

Industry association Airlines for Europe (A4E) has called on the EU to implement a series of measures to respond to the crisis, including monitoring the supply of aviation fuel, temporarily suspending the aviation carbon market and eliminating certain aviation taxes.

The aviation sector has been affected by airspace closures since the start of the war between the US and Israel against Iran on February 28, as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banned European airlines from operating in the airspace of several Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, until April 24.

The sector is also facing a fuel crisis due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Last week, the Airports Council International Europe (ACI) group warned that Europe could face a systemic jet fuel shortage within three weeks.

A4E demanded, in the document, that Brussels consider the joint purchase, by the EU, of kerosene, which is a type of aviation fuel.

The EU introduced joint purchasing of natural gas to try to bolster supplies, after Russia drastically reduced gas deliveries to Europe in 2022. However, the model has not yet been applied to oil or kerosene.

A4E, whose members include Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and easyJet, also called on the EU to change its legal requirement for countries to hold emergency oil reserves to 90 days, as this rule does not currently include a specific requirement for jet fuel.

The document also requests clarifications on existing legislation, including confirmation that airspace closures due to conflicts and the resulting operational effects will be considered as a justified non-use of slots.

For its part, the European Commission indicated that it will propose a package of measures on April 22 to try to offset the consequences of the war with Iran on energy markets, but has not confirmed whether this will include specific measures on aviation fuel.